Conditional Clauses – Free Exercise

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Exercise

Real Condition
Complete the sentences.

  1. Wenn (ich/haben/Zeit)  , lese ich gerne Zeitschriften.
    Wenn + subject + … + finite verb (at the end)    When I have time, I like to read magazines.
  2. Wenn ihr mich besuchen kommt, (ich/backen/Kuchen)  
    the part of the sentence without wenn is a completely normal main clause
    The wenn-clause comes in first position. Because the finite verb must always come in second position, the subject is moved after the verb.    If you come visit me, I’ll bake a cake.
  3. Er möchte nicht gestört werden, wenn (er/lernen/für die Prüfung)  
    Wenn + subject + … + finite verb (at the end)    He doesn’t like to be disturbed when he’s revising for a test.
  4. (ich/können/abholen/dich)  , wenn du den Weg nicht kennst.
    the part of the sentence without wenn is a completely normal main clause → subject + finite verb + … + infinitive verb    I can pick you up if you don’t know the way.
  5. Wenn es regnet, (wir/bleiben/zu Hause)  
    the part of the sentence without wenn is a completely normal main clause
    The wenn-clause comes in first position. Because the finite verb must always come in second position, the subject is moved after the verb.    If it rains, we’ll stay home.

Unreal Condition (Present)
Complete the sentences.

  1. Wenn (ich/sein/reich)  , würde ich eine Weltreise machen.Wenn + subject + … + finite verb (at the end)
    Subjunctive II (Konjunktiv II) of sein → wäre
    with sein we generally don’t use the würde-form    If I were rich, I’d go on a trip around the world.
  2. Wenn du vor den Tests besser lernen würdest, (du/müssen/keine Angst haben)  
    the part of the sentence without wenn is a normal main clause
    The wenn-clause comes in the first position. Because the finite verb always has to come in the second position, the subject moves after the verb.
    Subjunctive II (Konjunktiv II) of müssen → müsste
    with the modal verbs we generally don’t use the würde-form    If you studied better for the tests, you wouldn’t have to be so nervous.
  3. Wenn ich einen Kompass hätte, (ich/geben/euch/ihn)  the part of the sentence without wenn is a normal main clause
    The wenn-clause comes in the first position. Because the finite verb always has to come in the second position, the subject moves after the verb.
    Subjunctive II (Konjunktiv II) of geben → gäbe
    here, the würde-form is also possible (würde geben)
    If the direct object is a pronoun, it moves before the indirect object (ich gebe euch den Kompass – ich gebe ihn euch)    If I had a compass, I would give it to you.
  4. Ich wäre euch sehr dankbar, wenn (ihr/helfen können/mir)  
    Wenn + subject + … + finite verb (at the end)
    Subjunctive II (Konjunktiv II) of können → könnte
    with the modal verbs we generally don’t use the würde-form    I would be grateful if you could help me.
  5. (die Kinder/spielen/draußen)  , wenn das Wetter besser wäre.
    the part of the sentence without wenn is a normal main clause
    Here, we have to use the würde-form, because Subjunctive I (Konjunktiv I) and II don’t look any different from the indicative form.    The children would play outside if the weather were better.

Unreal Condition (Past)
Complete the sentences.

  1. Sie wären zur Feier gekommen, wenn (sie plural/nicht verpassen/den Zug)  Wenn + subject + … + finite verb (at the end)
    verpassen forms the compound tense with haben
    Subjunctive II (Konjunktiv II) of haben → hätte
    past participle of verpassen → verpasst    They would have come to the party if they hadn’t missed the train.
  2. Wenn du nicht so viel gegessen hättest, (du/bekommen/keine Bauchschmerzen)  the part of the sentence without wenn is a normal main clause
    The wenn-clause comes in the first position. Because the finite verb must always come in the second position, the subject moves after the verb.
    bekommen forms the compound tense with haben
    Subjunctive II (Konjunktiv II) of haben → hätte
    past participle of bekommen → bekommen    If you hadn’t eaten so much, you wouldn’t have got a stomachache.
  3. Wenn ihr mitgemacht hättet, (wir/fertig werden/schneller)  the part of the sentence without wenn is a normal main clause
    The wenn-clause comes in the first position. Because the finite verb must always come in the second position, the subject moves after the verb.
    werden forms the compound tense with sein
    Subjunctive II (Konjunktiv II) of sein → wäre
    past participle of werden → geworden    If you had helped, we would have finished sooner.
  4. (er/teilnehmen/am Marathonlauf)  , wenn er nicht krank geworden wäre.the part of the sentence without wenn is a normal main clause → subject + finite verb + … + infinite verb
    teilnehmen forms the compound tense with haben
    Subjunctive II (Konjunktiv II) of haben → hätte
    past participle of teilnehmen → teilgenommen    He would have taken part in the marathon if he hadn’t got sick.
  5. Ich hätte mich früher bei dir gemeldet, wenn (ich/finden/deine Telefonnummer)  Wenn + subject + … + finite verb (at the end)
    finden forms the compound tense with haben
    Subjunctive II (Konjunktiv II) of haben → hätte
    past participle of finden → gefunden    I would have called you sooner if I had found your phone number.